Why IPB, Instead of a Big Four Accounting Firm?

One of the most frequently-asked questions that we receive from potential clients is: why would a company use our firm, when the company already retains the services of a Big Four accounting firm?

The answer to this question is that there are numerous advantages to dealing with our firm, in lieu of a large accounting firm, for a particular matter.  We are not suggesting that your company doesn’t need a large accounting firm.  Rather, we are merely suggesting that there are numerous situations where your company would be better served by calling us.  The advantages of using our firm, instead of a Big Four accounting firm, include the following:

• In the areas of our expertise, you deal with an expert, rather than having to work through the local office of an accounting firm that in turn has to forward difficult issues to someone else in that firm to answer. Moreover, our firm is organized by subject matter expertise within the tax field, so you don’t deal with a novice and have to pay for learning time for a professional to get up to speed. It’s amazing how much faster you can get the right answer when you talk to the right person.
• In light of the foregoing, our bills are likely to be substantially lower than those from a Big Four accounting firm for a comparable project or question.
• Our firm hires top talent that is not typically available at an accounting firm. For example, in the area of tax accounting, our professionals are not only tax attorneys, but they are also CPAs who are gold and silver medal award winners on the CPA examination. Large CPA firms rarely attract that type of talent.
• Clients appreciate being able to pick up the phone and pick our brains for 15 minutes at a time. Instant advice is frequently available based on our expertise. Try that approach with a Big Four accounting firm and compare the results.
• When we come across cutting-edge tax savings ideas, we pass them on to our clients for free. We view that service as part of our responsibility to our clients. You won’t  experience the approach of some accounting firms, who try to sell you work that you don’t need or want by offering up a secret list of ideas for a fee.
• Our firm is not out to sell the next big project. We make money providing answers to questions, regardless of how small they are and regardless of how long the problems take to answer.
• We handle the problem from beginning to end, so that if a planning matter ends up in a controversy with the IRS, we can litigate the matter from beginning to end. An accounting firm cannot do that.
• As attorneys, communications with our firm enjoy stronger privilege protections than communications with an accounting firm.
• Because of financial disclosures that may be required if your accounting firm becomes aware of a tax problem, it may be helpful to be able to deal with someone other than your accounting firm.